The present invention relates to a concrete curing and texturing machine, and more particularly, to a novel curing and texturing machine which permits longitudinal and transverse texturing or grooving of the finished concrete and the transverse application of a predetermined amount of curing liquid onto the textured or grooved concrete surface.
The curing treatment of finished concrete during the concrete""s hardening period is designed to prevent water loss from the concrete and optimize the cement hydration. The curing treatment maintains predetermined moisture levels and temperature conditions in the finished concrete, levels and conditions which influence the desired concrete properties of the finished concrete.
Concrete curing and texturing machines for use on a concrete surface are known in the art. Generally, such machines include an elongated main frame adapted for movement longitudinally along the roadway or deck which is to be grooved and cured. A grooving unit may be suspended from the elongated main frame for longitudinal movement back and forth across the roadway. After each pass of the grooving unit or rake-type implement, the grooving head automatically raises at either end of each pass and is cleaned and then the machine is automatically moved forward a distance corresponding to the length of the grooving unit to permit a subsequent pass across the body of concrete with the grooving unit. After several passes of the grooving unit, in one type of curing and texturing machine, the machine is backed up to the initial starting point and the curing compound is sprayed onto the grooved concrete. In another type of curing and texturing machine, a plurality of nozzles extend across the width of the body of concrete and are suspended from the elongated main frame. As the machine is moved forwardly during the grooving operation, a curing compound is sprayed upon the surface of the textured or grooved concrete. In yet another type of prior art grooving and texturing machine, the nozzles are positioned on the grooving unit and the curing compound is sprayed onto the concrete surface during the grooving operation.
In a further prior art alternative system, workers manually rake the surface of the concrete to texture or groove the concrete surface and then a curing machine is then passed over the surface of the grooved concrete to deposit the curing compound onto the surface of the grooved concrete. Such machines utilize a plurality of nozzles extending across the width of the machine.
The stop and go action and the lack of continuous operation with the prior art grooving of the finished concrete and the delay in the application of a curing compound onto the surface of the grooved concrete is time consuming, labor intensive, and fails to optimize the cement hydration. Moreover, the positioning of a plurality of nozzles extending across the body of the grooved concrete results in an uneven application of curing compound on the surface of the grooved concrete. Finally, the application of the curing compound directly onto the concrete during the grooving operation results in a non-uniform curing compound application. This results in uneven curing of the finished concrete and provides a cured concrete having an unacceptable cement of hydration.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a novel concrete curing machine which provides for the application of curing compound onto a concrete surface or roadway in a transverse back and forth manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a concrete curing and texturing machine which overcomes the problems encountered by the prior art curing and texturing machines.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a curing machine which provides for the transverse application of curing compound upon the grooved concrete roadway.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel curing machine which provides for the predetermined spraying of controlled amounts of curing compound onto the concrete surface with the spray application being applied through spray nozzles moving transversely back and forth across the body of the poured concrete.
Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a curing and texturing machine which includes the longitudinal or transverse texturing or grooving of the concrete and which includes a curing application portion wherein the curing compound is applied by a sprayboom carriage which is movable transversely back and forth across the surface of the textured concrete.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by the present invention which includes a concrete curing and texturing machine of the type embodying an elongated main frame adapted for movement longitudinally along a roadway or deck surface of poured concrete. The concrete curing and texturing machine is mounted for movement on twotracks, four-tracks or rubber tires mounted to the corners of the elongated main frame. Preferably, mounted to the main frame is a texturing or rake-type implement carriage which is structurally arranged to engage the concrete surface to provide grooves therein during the transverse back and forth movement of the texturing carriage across the body of the concrete. Mounted to and extending rearwardly of the main frame is an extended truss member on which is mounted a sprayboom carriage member. The sprayboom carriage is mounted on the extended truss frame and is adapted for transverse movement back and forth across the width of the body of poured concrete. The sprayboom carriage extends rearwardly of the curing and texturing main frame and supports and positions a boom pipe and the associated spray nozzle assembly a predetermined distance above the concrete surface, with the sprayboom carriage structurally arranged to move back and forth transversely across the concrete surface.
The curing compound is directed through the boom pipe and spray nozzles to deposit a uniform and predetermined amount of curing compound onto the concrete surface. The sprayboom carriage is structurally arranged to be driven by a hydraulic motor coupled to a drive sprocket and drive chain attached to the sprayboom carriage to provide the transverse movement of the carriage, boom pipe and spray nozzles back and forth across the surface of the grooved and textured concrete.
The present invention consists of certain novel features and structural details hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrifice any of the advantages of the present invention.